Parks Obi Anh Saber

[Spirit of ob1]

Hey guys,

Quick question? what do you think about Parks Obi saber?
Now i know its not exact, but as far as quality. and does the grenade dissasemble?

"Please no fighting over his buisness practice", just need to know if its decent. and if the grenade is steel or brass?? if anyone has specifics please let me know and pics would be great!

 

[Darth Detroit]

Its a nice saber for the price. Its missing a few things, nothing that cant be added like the transistors or the accurate bubble strip.

 

[Grouch]

I like it; I'm also looking for one.

Though many people that care a little too much make a larger deal about its inaccuracies then is really warranted.

 

[Snoballz]

It's not completely accurate, but it's a good looking saber for the price. The grenade is steel and the brass stem screws into it. The windvane also screws on and off of the stem. The emitter and handwheel attach by set screw. Very distracting and inaccurate, but I don't notice them anymore.


Here's the same one with transistors, 7 digit board, and some paint. I cut off the extra step on the emitter.

 

[Serafino]

Though many people that care a little too much make a larger deal about its inaccuracies then is really warranted.

:rolleyes Whoa, I wonder if you realize how you're coming across. This is a hobby, so people can approach it with whatever degree of exactitude they want. It's a live and let live kind of thing. If the pressure of all that intensity makes you feel like passing judgment on people then you seriously need to rethink things.

 

[Grouch]

:rolleyes Whoa, I wonder if you realize how you're coming across. This is a hobby, so people can approach it with whatever degree of exactitude they want. It's a live and let live kind of thing. If the pressure of all that intensity makes you feel like passing judgment on people then you seriously need to rethink things.

Slow your roll there chief.

 

[nash]

Grouch spreading bile from Rebalscum to the RPF :thumbsdown

 

[Darth Lars]

Emitter: Later versions of the saber comes with a new emitter that does not have the extra section that needs to be sawn off. I heard it also screws into the grenade stem, so there would be no set screw in it.
Grenade: Almost perfect replica of an authentic grenade. There are differences from the specific one used for the prop, though.
Clamp: A few "tells" such as differences in the lettering and a shiny lever. The letters can be covered with silver tape, though, so no big issue.
"Gear": Considered quite accurate back in '04 when it was designed. Then came Roman's next interpretation, and then the find of the real item.
Pommel: I believe it is based on the modern Armitage Shanks handwheel, without the logo. Hollow. Chromed aluminum, with quite rounded edges.

One thing I like about this saber is that it does not have a threaded rod through the middle -- All the pieces attach to one-another by themselves.
The pieces are also accurately aligned when they are screwed together.
The "gear" section is only a part of a longer tube that:
1. screws into the grenade. (into a thread that was on an original grenade!)
2. acts as a "clamp spacer" under the clamp, It has threaded holes for transistors. However, the thread is not the same as Roman's.
3. the back receives a set screw which the pommel is attached with.

 

[Grouch]

Grouch spreading bile from Rebalscum to the RPF :thumbsdown

:rolleyes I'm doing no such thing. :rolleyes

I'm stating a fact that many people (many from RS) take the accuracy of the parks saber far too serious and personal for it being 200 replica. And a very good one at that.

 

[Tan Djarka]

"...many people (many from RS) take the accuracy of the parks saber far too serious and personal for it being 200 replica. And a very good one at that."

Indeed. While it'll never be a dead on accurate replica, it isn't bad. Considering the corrections that can be made, it's got "potential". If it's the difference between this, and not having one at all, it's well worth the investment. That is, assuming you can forgive Parks' questionable attitudes regarding his business, particularly highlighted during the MPP debacle.

 

[Anakin Starkiller]

:rolleyes I'm doing no such thing. :rolleyes

I'm stating a fact that many people (many from RS) take the accuracy of the parks saber far too serious and personal for it being 200 replica. And a very good one at that.

First off, you're not stating a fact, your stating your opinion that people take accuracy too far, and it is an opinion that is rather insulting and dismissive to alot of folk here. Alot of people here really enjoy examining all of the details in props and trying to replicate those details in the most accurate way possible, it is kinda the point of this forum:rolleyes.

So if your going to roll up here and tell everyone there taking things far too seriously you're gonna piss a couple people here off.

Dan

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Nah, he said that people take the accuracy of the PARKS ANH Obi too seriously, and I agree.

It's not the real deal, Romans, Chen, Serafino, heck it's not even the brass cast grenade.

It's Parks. A decent replica for the price.

Accurate? No.
Close? Well, close enough for some.
Potential? You bet.

It is what it is and that's all.

 

[Serafino]

Nah, he said that people take the accuracy of the PARKS ANH Obi too seriously, and I agree.

And you're both out of line because because evaluating a product is fair game, evaluating other people's taste isn't. The Parks hasn't been rudely attacked on this forum. Sometimes when someone asks, they get an answer about its pluses and minuses. Oh jeese how awful that it should be pointed out that something that COULD have been highly accurate as well as inexpensive and well-made, isn't.

This same BS happens whenever someone tries to reach for something higher/better/more refined/more detailed, in any field: the ones who don't want to go there feel like they're being preached at even though they're not.

The accuracy fanatics on this forum mostly have a live and let live attitude. You and Grouch are inventing a problem that doesn't exist. And if there are specific instances where someone actually was out of line, call the individual on it at the time instead of posting inflammatory BS in a different and later thread.

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Whoa, whoa, whoa ???

What?

?

I accidently mis-qouted him. He said 'many people' (meaning some but not all) and I only said 'people' in my post. I apoligize for that.

Serafino, when did I ever say accuracy was bad? When did I evaluate other peoples taste with my post?

I agreed (with him) that many people (in my opinion) take the Parks too seriously because they want it to be something that it is not. Parks has no desire to make an accuarte replica, and for some it is good enough.

When have I ever had a sore word with you? I love accuracy and I agree that the quest for accuracy is what makes our hobby great. Evaluating products and vendors allows everyone to make better choices, pushes our hobby forward, and gives us something to reach for.

When did I say I felt I was being 'preached' to? I don't remember saying that.

I try to be as accurate as my skill and budget will allow. I don't remember calling someone out of line because they choose a higher level of accuracy then me, or a lesser one, or call someone out of line because they have a different opinion then me.

What problem am I inventing? The problem where I help in discussions about accuracy? The problem where I try to help others who want more accurate props with building/painting tips? The problem where I applaud those who have strived and acheived the highest level of accuracy?

What problem am I inventing?

I consider you a friend Serafino, and I'm sorry that this is how you see me. If your goal was to hurt my feelings then mission acomplished. But hey, no sweat and no worries, it's all good right?

 

[Spirit of ob1]

okay, so back to what the thread is about......

so what is his grenade made out of? and does it come apart?:cool

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

Grenade is steel, windvane and stem are brass and they do unscrew like the original. Booster is aluminum, and handwheel is chrome plated cast aluminum.

 

[Spirit of ob1]

So his older versions that have the extra piece on the emitter,does it use a rod throught the whole saber so hold together?

Also are the grenade gear and handwheel hollow or solid?

 

[James Kenobi 1138]

The older Parks grenades are not based on any real greande geometry, I think it was made from reference pics and replicas.

On the older versions, the cubes are off in geometry, the overall size is too tall, the stem and windvane are incorrect, the top of the top row of frags is incorrect (where the stem meets the frag body), the cuts go the entire legnth of the frag body instead of stopping prior to the top and bottom rows.

The older grenades did have that top piece but that was to hold the emitter on it's inner diameter. On all the parks Obi sabers, all the parts are held on with a set screw.

Since he makes both static and EL, both the older versions and his newer ones are 100% hollow inside from top to bottom, no rod inside holding it together.

On the newer versions, the grenade uses the inner diameter threads to screw to a set of outer diameter threads on the booster section and they screw together. You can attach the grenade and the booster firmly without the clamp, emitter, or handwheel.

 

[Tan Djarka]

Let me play devil's advocate for a moment here (and hope I'm not steering the thread too far off again)...

Is it possible Parks can't legally make an accurate replica? It's been pointed out that this has an accurate reproduction of a grenade, but not THE grenade. Also, the handwheel is accurate to recent AS models, but not the correct one. Perhaps accurate reproductions of the original parts would be construed by LFL as an attempt to reproduce the prop, which is clearly a license infringement.

Just a thought.

 

[Spirit of ob1]

I see now what ur talking about,
so this is the older version right?

http://www.parksabers.com/kit.html